Emergency Dentistry— Farmington, MI
Providing Urgent Oral Care Quickly
Like other emergencies, the dental kind seems to occur at the worst times and involve much pain. There’s good news, though; we at Monet Aesthetic Dentistry quickly address these dilemmas! Whether you’re facing a dental injury or a severe toothache, our team can handle your dental emergency better than a local ER would. Dr. Metzger ensures that much with her advanced skills and experience. To learn more, simply keep reading or book a same-day visit!
Why Choose Monet Aesthetic Dentistry for Emergency Dentistry?
- Same-Day Appointments Available
- The Latest Dental Methods & Technologies
- A Friendly & Caring Dental Team
How We Treat Dental Emergencies
We’ll gladly walk you through how we handle dental emergencies. In particular, our treatment process involves four key steps:
- A Same-Day Visit – When you call us, we’ll set your visit for the earliest time possible. (We may even see you the same day!) Our office also sees new patients as soon as scheduling allows.
- Emergency Exam – Dr. Metzger will perform an oral exam when you reach us, capturing any necessary X-rays along the way. This assessment lets us learn the source of your problem and how best to relieve your pain.
- Findings Review – Our team will share your final diagnosis after the exam, as well as procedures that could help you. We’ll then use your feedback to draft a treatment plan and estimate the required time and cost.
- Crucial Dental Work – Once your treatment plan is drafted, we’ll solve your smile’s troubles. Our team can ensure that much with their expertise and great skills! From dental crowns and root canals to tooth extractions, we’ll provide whatever you need for your smile to heal.
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
When you have a dental emergency, it’s always best to call our office. Dr. Metzger and the rest of our team will happily fix your grin and prevent further oral damage. That being said, you can take steps to handle the situation before you get treatment. Simply click on one (or more) of the icons below and use the related tips! This guidance should help you manage until you can reach us.
Understanding the Cost of Emergency Dentistry
While you may need urgent oral care, note that its expense varies from patient to patient. In other words, you should see Dr. Metzger in person to get an exact estimate. Once you do, we’ll walk you through the various factors that impact your final treatment’s price. Our team will also make your care more affordable through helpful payment options – dental insurance, flexible financing, etc. To learn more about the cost of dental emergencies, call us or read on.
Why Every Dental Emergency is Different
As we mentioned above, there are several factors we need to consider before we can give you an accurate estimate of the price, including the type of dental injury you’ve sustained. The severity of the damage, the restorative care that’s needed, and whether or not you have dental insurance will also play a role. Although there are so many factors to consider, you don’t have to worry – we will discuss all of them with you at your visit before reviewing the financial solutions available.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?
In addition to covering essential preventive care, many dental insurance plans include a complimentary emergency exam as well as a significant discount on restorative services. Typically, it’s between 50% and 70% of basic treatments, like fillings, and 50% of more extensive care, like crowns and bridges. Of course, every plan is different, which is why we recommend reviewing the fine print on yours to familiarize yourself with your benefits. If you need any help, let us know! Our team at Monet Aesthetic Dentistry is in-network with Delta Dental, MetLife, BlueCross BlueShield, and several other popular providers.
Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable
There are two other financial solutions available at our Farmington dental office. Here’s a brief overview of each:
- In-House Membership Plan – After you pay the yearly fee, you can get free essential preventive care and emergency exams as well as a 20% discount on all other services completed at our office. Not only that, but you don’t need to worry about red tape, like monthly premiums, waiting periods, and annual maximums.
- CareCredit Flexible Financing – If paying for the entire cost of your emergency dental care would place immense stress on your wallet, ask us about CareCredit. This trusted third-party financier offers payment plans (oftentimes with little-to-no interest attached). Plus, signing up only takes a few minutes!
How Taking Care Of Your Smile Can Save You Money
It’s important to remember that cavities, damaged restorations, and other common dental problems are largely preventable. So, if you want to protect your smile (and your wallet!), it’s important that you commit to healthy habits, like brushing twice a day and wearing a mouthguard when you play sports. Of course, you also need to break bad ones, such as smoking and chewing on ice cubes.
Important note: If you start to experience abnormal dental symptoms – whether it’s pain when biting down or a pimple-like bump on your gums – contact us ASAP. That way, we can learn more about what’s going on and, if necessary, schedule an appointment with our emergency dentist in Farmington.
Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies
Even minor dental injuries, like a small chip, can lead to considerable pain and discomfort. Fortunately, patients can reduce their risk of experiencing dental damage. With this in mind, keep reading to learn a few tips our Farmington dental team recommends adopting:
Schedule Biannual Dental Checkups
At your biannual visits, Dr. Metzger reviews your latest X-rays, looks for warning signs of oral cancer, and examines the condition of your teeth and gums. That way, she can diagnose and treat oral issues before they become emergencies. So, if it has been more than six months since your last visit, now is the perfect time to get your next appointment on the calendar!
Practice Good Oral Hygiene
If you practice good oral hygiene, you’ll be less likely to get severe cavities, gum disease, or tooth infections. So, if you aren’t already, start brushing, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash consistently. Then, focus on incorporating additional healthy habits into your routine, like replacing your toothbrush (or toothbrush head) every 3-4 months so you aren’t using frayed, dirty bristles.
Don’t Eat Crunchy, Sticky, and Sugary Foods
In short, what you eat impacts your oral health. For this reason, we advise against overindulging on sugary and starchy foods. We also recommend steering clear of hard pretzels, lollipops, and other extremely crunchy snacks since they can lead to a serious chip or crack in your enamel.
Fortunately, there are lots of foods that benefit your oral health, including apples, carrots, eggs, and plain yogurt. So, focus on incorporating those into your diet!
Wear a Mouthguard
Any time you play an intense physical sport, you need to wear a mouthguard. That way, your smile is protected from falls and collisions. Since accidents can happen even during non-contact sports, we recommend wearing one if you like to ride your bike, lift weights, jog, or rollerblade as well. We can have a custom mouthguard made for you so it’s the appropriate thickness for the sport you play or the activity you participate in.
Quit Bad Habits
Do you often bite your nails? Do you sometimes use your teeth as tools to open things? Do you ever chew on the ice cubes in your glass after finishing your drink? If so, try to quit. Even though these habits seem harmless, they can lead to chipped, cracked, and several broken teeth. For the same reason, we recommend steering clear of tobacco products and not chewing on objects like your pen or pencil.
Dental Emergency FAQs
What’s Considered a “True” Dental Emergency?
The first thing that many patients say when they call us with a dental emergency is something like, “I’m not really sure whether this counts as an emergency.” Here are a few signs that you need urgent dental care:
- Pain that distracts you from working, eating, or sleeping
- Moderate to heavy bleeding
- A pimple-like bumps on the gums or facial swelling (these are common signs of an infection)
- A broken tooth, crown, or filling (you can usually wait a couple of days if there’s no pain)
- A knocked-out tooth
How Can I Manage the Pain?
One of the most effective ways to relieve pain until your appointment is to hold a cold compress to your cheek for 10 minutes on, then 10 minutes off. You could also take over-the-counter pain medication as needed. However, just because you can manage the pain at home doesn’t mean you shouldn’t also seek treatment with us. Ignoring the problem could cause it to worsen in the long run.
When Should I Go to the Hospital?
While our team can handle the vast majority of oral health problems, some issues require immediate medical care. For any of the following, go to your nearest emergency room or urgent care clinic:
- Bleeding that doesn’t stop after 15 minutes of applying pressure
- Deep facial cuts that may require stitches
- A dislocated or broken jaw
- If you’ve knocked out a tooth and can’t see us within the hour
- If you have a severe toothache or swelling and can’t see us within a few hours
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